Apparatus and process for filling and closing capillary containers



W. GOODCHILD APPARATUS AND PROCESS ron FILLING AND mosmc CAPILLARY communes.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15. "H9- 1,397,631 Patented Nov. 22, 1921,

A M I I INVENTOR M/dZ/G/ Goodckz'id ATTORNEY re r.

WMJEER GtDtlDEHILED, Q15 l-EQBOKEN, NEW .l'ERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- JlEENTfi, IE3? NHS, IIll'CORPQRATED, ACORPOBA'IION OF NEW JERSEY.

AF;.' .l.BJiflI"US AND PROCES$ FOR FILLING: AND CLOSING- CAPILLABY CONTAINERS.

application filed May 15,

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, WALTER Goonornnn, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Apparatus and Process for Filling and Closing Capillary Containers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates principally to sealed vessels of restricted capacity designed to hold and distribute predetermined quantities of various liquids, such as perfumes, oils, chemicals, medicaments, etc., and further it has relation to apparatus and processes for making the same.

Primarily, the invention has for its object to provide a practical way of putting up select and costly goods of the classes referred to for sale in fractional amounts, which shall admit of a fair profit to the dealer in each case and yet enable persons of limited incomes to purchase the goods in such quantities as will temporarily supply their wants and meanwhile relieve them from incurring a needless expenditure.

A secondary object is the provision of a receptacle of the nature set forth adapted to, contain an average portion of the said goods, that is, neither more nor less than is required for any given purpose, so that the goods shall not only keep fresh until released for use by unsealing the receptacle, but none will be left over to evaporate throu h exposure to the air, or become contaminated with floating impurities, and therefore go to loss or considerably depreciate in value.

Another object is to produce for the goods aforementioned a light and portable container of such dimensions as will permit a number of the filled receptacles to be packed together in a slender case, convenient to carry in a purse or on the person, and affording an ever-ready supply of the goods available for use when and where wanted.

A further object is the production of a truly hermetic container of the character described, capable of maintaining the goods in 1 prime condition always, and also provided with frangible extremities of peculiar formation serving to unseal it in a safe manner, that is, without injuring the hand that effets the fracture, or wasting the contents.

Still another object is to devise a receptacle of the type specified, adapted'to discharge its contents gradually in a manner specification of'TaettersPatent.

some of the fi Patented Nov, 22, 1921.

1919. Serial No. 297,424.

that will insure the most economical use thereof and operate to distribute the same to the fullest advantage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and in part be brought out in the description hereinafter contained.

Referring to the drawing hereto annexed, for a detailed description of the invention,-

Figure l is a side view, showing a line of capillary tubing composed of a series of tubes of uniform size connected to one another at the ends, and intended to be evolved each into a container and dispenser embodying the principlesof the invention in its best known form; Fig. 2 is an enlarged ionitudinal section of a single tube, severed rom the said series; F i 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, 0 a filling apparatus for the detached tubes; Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a filled tube, with one end thereof sealed in the ordinary manner;

-Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a device adapted to effect a reliable seal at the other 7 tube end; l i 6 is a longitudinal section, on

drawing out its contents.

The improved container and dispenser forming the subject-matter hereof is conveniently made from glass tubing, drawn down to'a very light caliber, as indicated in 7 1165 above described. in order to expedlte the manufacture, many tubes are formed at one continuous operation, as Fig. 1 shows, each tube comprising a-body of substantially uniform cross-sectional area. throughout, designated by the reference numeral. 11, and oppositely directed ends 12 and 13-, of capillary diameter.

Naturally, the adjoinin ends of the several tubes are interconnecte during the drawing process, but they. are severed according to predetermined measurements to constitute separate units, as represented in Fig. 2, when about to be filled.

There are various ways of filling the tubes aforesaid, one of which is exemplified in Fig. 3 of the annexed drawin As illustrated in this view, the filllng may be Preferably, the tube is held at an incline,

with its upper end in proximity to the mouth of a suction-pipe 17, which may be connected with any suitable form of vacuum-. pump (not shown). This pipe may also be the ,terminal'of a condensingcoil 18. A

dextrous operator, of course, removes the tube from the suction end of the apparatus at the very instant it is sufficiently filled, but the excess or overflow, if any, will be received in the condenser-coil 18, and thence returned to the vessel 16, by means of a drip-pipe 19, or other suitable conduit, whenever the pumping ceases.

A number of tubes 11 may be filled at one time and laid out flat without danger of emptying the same, owing to the capillary character oftheir opposite extremities, which retain the filling in the respective tubes until ready to be sealed. Fig. 4. shows a tube thus filled, and with one of its ends still remaining open. The farther end of this tube is represented as having been provided with a seal 21, terminating in a spherical protuberance 22. The latter affords a favorable hold in breaking the seal, previously to dispensing the contents of the tube,

when used as hereinafter described. The protuberant seal 2122 may be produced in a simple manner, well-known to every competent glass-worker.

The sealing of the near end of the tube,

that is, the second to be sealed, requires 'speclal care and attention, inasmuch as it is found difficult, in practice, to make a perfect closure at this end, on account of the filling substance present in the tube. Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, the. second seal is produced, preferably, in the manner represented in Fig. 5, which shows a conveniently arranged device for the purpose. The device, it will be seen, includes a plate 25, overlying'a pair of parallelsupports 26, 27, between which is placeda gas-jet 28. The flame from the ignited gas 1S caused'to impinge against the undersideof the plate 25, or otherwise heat the samel Now, by resting part of the tube I adjoining the latter-named end thereof upon the surface of the plate for a moment, in the manner illustrated it will become heated so as to displace the filling substance therewithin, preparatively to forming the seal. This step in the sealing operation may be termed the p're-heatmg of the tube end.

Immediately thereafter, the same end of the .tube is placed, across either of the supports extremity of the tube, to close it by fusing the glass at that point, and in the meantime the jet of air cools off the preheated portion adjacent to the tubular body. The cooling of this intermediate portion contracts the tube end, while" it is relieved of internal pressure from the filling substance, so that the melting glass at' the extremit to be sealed is practically driven inwar owing to the external atmospheric pressure, to the extent of closing all pores [or interstices that would permit leakage. The second seal may consist of a solid stem 31, with a spherical enlargement 32, and may also be separated from the tubular body 11, by a slightly contracted portion 33, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. Both the stem and the adjolning contraction, it will be noted, facilitate the breaking of the second seal, when the contents of the tube are to be discharged.

' -As a measure of precaution, the said second seal, and in fact eitheror both of the seals may be rendered more secure or dependable by providing the same with an outercovering 35. This may consist of a suitably thick coating of collodion, or other matter. capable of making the tube thoroughly impervious, and serving also to ward 'ofi in ury to the fingers when breaking the ends of the tubes.

In order to utilize the full contents of a tube to best advantage, both ends of the tube must be severed from the body, to obtain the necessary air pressure, and the tube thus opened should be drawn over the article -in-- tended to receive the substance therefrom,

ent of the United States, is:

1. The process of sealing the open end of a capillary tube filled with liquid, which con sists in cooling a portion of the tube inwardly from the openend thereof to contract the said end and to relieve the same of internal pressure of the tube contents, and simultaneously closing said end.

2. The described process of forming a seal on a capillary preheating the part thereof adjoining the Fig. 9. The substance will.

invention, what dispensing tube, consisting in end to be sealed, and thereafter subjecting the preheated part to the combined action of a flame and an air-blast.

3. The process of sealing the open end of a capillary tube filled with liquid, which consists in cooling a portion of the tube inwardly from the open end thereof to contract the latter and relieve it of internal pressure of the tube contents, and fusing the said end while in a cooled state.

4;. The process of introducing liquid into a tube having capillary open end sections which consists of placing one open end of the tube in the liquid and exposing the other open end adjacent the mouth of a tube through which a suction is maintained.

5. The process of filling with liquid a capillary tube open at both ends which consists in immersin one end of the tube in liquid and disposing the other end of the tube in a suction pipe of substantially lar er diameter than the adjacent end of the tulle.

6. In an apparatus for filling capillary tubes with liquid, a stationary suction pi e, and a receptacle for the liquid disposed b low the said pipe, the capillary tubes being adaptedto be positioned for filling between the pipe and the receptacle.

7. In an apparatus for filling capillary tubes with liquid, a receptacle for the liquid wherein the said tubes are dipped, and a suction pipe fixed above the said receptacle, the distance between the suction end of the pipe and the liquid level at the dipping point being substantially equal to or slightly greater than the length of the tubes.

In testimony whereof, I have'signed my name to this specification this 8th day of May, 1919,

WALTER GOODCHILD; 1,. a1 

